World Football: 50 Best Places To Watch the Beautiful Game (Final Part)

We've marvelled at the innovative Sapporo Dome in Japan with interchangeable pitches, the glittering Allianz Arena in Munich with its thousands of external lights and the majestic nature of Soccer City in Johannesburg, aloof above the Soweto wastelands.

The previous two slideshows have counted down 40 of the 50 best places to watch what many consider to be not only the greatest sport, but also the greatest game on the planet.

This has taken us to numerous countries and continents, to training grounds and academies and world-class arenas.

Here are the best 10 places to watch football, soccer, calcio, le foot.

6: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain

Ruling the Chamartin district of the Spanish capital is this monolithic structure, named after a former club president.

At less than 65 years old, it is one or the more modern stadia in this list, but that diminishes neither its symbolism nor its standing within the game.

The 1982 FIFA World Cup Final as well as last year's UEFA Champions League final came to the Bernabeu and, after two renovations and three expansions at no little cost, more than 80,000 football-lovers come from far and wide to see some of the greatest players on show here.

4: Wembley, London, England

Designed by industry-leading architect Sir Norman Foster and built at a staggering cost of more than $1 billion, this stadium can hold more than 90,000 spectators and has a 134-metre arch, which has replaced the famed Twin Towers of the old stadium.

Piles measuring 35 metres, an arch bigger in diameter than a Eurostar train, nearly 120,000 m2 of concrete and steel and nearly 3,000 toilets are other statistics which show that this is truly a ground-breaking building.

2: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain

Situated in the north-west corner of the revitalised coastal city, it is nearly 60 years old and can hold nearly 100,000 supporters.

During General Franco's ruthless dictatorship, it was one of the only public domains in which Catalan was freely spoken and it is vital as part of the club and a focal point of regional culture and pride. The height and width of the stadium and the size of the television screens have to be seen to be believed.

1: Estadio Do Maracana, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

The Maracana was opened in 1950 to host the FIFA World Cup final, during which a staggering 199,854 paid to watch "El Maracanazo." Uruguay's shock 2-1 defeat of the host nation.

Pele scored his 1,000th career goal here, Zico scored a record 333 times. Despite being downsized after another spectator tragedy, it has witnessed catholic masses, huge pop concerts and will also play out the opening and closing ceremonies of the upcoming Olympic Games in 2016.

But this is a venue which will forever be synonymous with great football, even greater footballers and some of the best football matches ever.